40 years!

What does 40 years of marriage look like? . . .   It looks amazing

These two little love birds celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary with a party planned by the amazing Elizabeth Whitfield, party planner extraordinaire. The party was wonderful and the memories created even better.   The party was a collection of the Johnson's closest friends. Spread across the tables were pictures of the Kim and Eric dating all the way back to their teenage years.  We sipped champagne and celebrated 40 years of marriage into the starlit night.

The original 4

Ready for the party

The boys were ready to show off some dance moves

 Papa's boys

Our original 3

The bartenders

  Such a great celebration of these two!

She likes to spread the credit, but this party was 90% Elizabeth and she did a great job!    If you need to plan a party, consider hiring Elizabeth, in all seriousness, I told her she should do this as a job.

I've learned a lot about what it means to be married in watching Kim and Eric's marriage for the past 13 years of my life.  They've served as such a great example of what to do right in a marriage.  The things that I have learned from watching Kim and Eric are:

1. Be your spouse's biggest fan.  Eric and Kim  make each other a part of the conversation with friends.  They celebrate each other's victories and appreciate what each of them does for their family, the community, and their church. 
2. Teasing in the right dose is good for a marriage.   Kim and Eric don't take each other too seriously.  They tease each other in just the right dose and it adds a light-hearted aspect to their marriage. 
3. Do things together.  Kim and Eric do things together.  From taking a night to go play pool downtown to going on big vacations together, these two make memories together by doing things. 
4. Have interests of your own.  Each of Kim and Eric are part of something on their own outside of their careers and families.  Among other things, Kim heads the Steven's Ministry at Church and Eric volunteers for Spokane Scholars.  
5. Let the little things go.   I am sure they have their disagreements, but I am never witness to them, which means that they each let the little things go. They don't nag and they don't force the other to do it "their way." I need to work on this one. 
6. Be affectionate.   The daily kisses, I love yous, and even their adoring smiles.  These two are physically affectionate in a way that makes outsiders know they are as much as love today as they were 40 years ago. 
7. Family comes first.  Their marriage and family are strong to this day because they make family a priority. 
8. Surround yourself with Good People.  The collection of the Johnson friends was amazing!  They have some of the kindest most wonderful friends that a person could ask for many of whom they've known for decades.
9. #1.  On our wedding night Eric offered us one piece of sound advice.  Be your spouse's number one. Don't let things get between you and your spouse.  Be united, be a team.  Best advice we ever got!